October 16, 2009

CROSSWORD #135

This one's really an Easy/Medium puzzle. So it's more of an Easium. I didn't have time to make a new graphic to reflect this difficulty level, so I apologize in advance. Next time.

Why haven't I had the spare time? Because I've been twiddling around with my new smartphone. We've already documented the incredible shittiness of my previous phone in podcasts, hackneyed old-school phone themes, and photo essays. So really, there's no reason to go in that again. Just throwing it out there right now: I got the new HTC Hero, and without getting a little too "Consumer Reports" on this blog, the phone's boss. Finally I got a proper smartphone that, you know, is smart. And it runs Google's Android. And how some people are sycophantic to the Church of Steve Jobs and All-Things Apple, I'm that way towards Google.

I was indoctrinated into the anti-Apple sentiment began years ago. The first computer I had was an Apple IIc. The "c" stands for "crap," I think. Anyway, my Dad was furious at Apple because he'd spent a lot of money on a computer that, at the time we bought it, was well on it's way toward becoming an antique. Dad, completely unaware of the immutable Moore's Law that means all pieces of technology inevitably will become obsolete, vowed never to give Apple any more money after that. And my conversion to becoming a PC was complete.

Go ahead. Call me soulless in the comments section. I can take it.

Anyway, I was going through the pages and pages of apps available for Android phones last night, looking for a suitable crossword reader. At one point I had hopes to make my own iPhone/Android crossword app, but it appears that both markets are flooded with crossword readers. Almost all of them are free. Which is amazing. But my guess is if you already have a smartphone, a crossword reader, and half a brain, you can figure out how to download and play my puzzles your phone. So why make another one? The one I'm leaning toward now is Shortyz, named so in honor of the Puzzlemaster himself. But if there's a better one I don't know about: let me know.

So I'm opening it up to the audience. What apps do you recommend to the other BEQ.com visitors? Leave all suggestions in the comments section please.

Comments

This one's really an Easy/Medium puzzle. So it's more of an Easium. I didn't have time to make a new graphic to reflect this difficulty level, so I apologize in advance. Next time.

Why haven't I had the spare time? Because I've been twiddling around with my new smartphone. We've already documented the incredible shittiness of my previous phone in podcasts, hackneyed old-school phone themes, and photo essays. So really, there's no reason to go in that again. Just throwing it out there right now: I got the new HTC Hero, and without getting a little too "Consumer Reports" on this blog, the phone's boss. Finally I got a proper smartphone that, you know, is smart. And it runs Google's Android. And how some people are sycophantic to the Church of Steve Jobs and All-Things Apple, I'm that way towards Google.

I was indoctrinated into the anti-Apple sentiment began years ago. The first computer I had was an Apple IIc. The "c" stands for "crap," I think. Anyway, my Dad was furious at Apple because he'd spent a lot of money on a computer that, at the time we bought it, was well on it's way toward becoming an antique. Dad, completely unaware of the immutable Moore's Law that means all pieces of technology inevitably will become obsolete, vowed never to give Apple any more money after that. And my conversion to becoming a PC was complete.

Go ahead. Call me soulless in the comments section. I can take it.

Anyway, I was going through the pages and pages of apps available for Android phones last night, looking for a suitable crossword reader. At one point I had hopes to make my own iPhone/Android crossword app, but it appears that both markets are flooded with crossword readers. Almost all of them are free. Which is amazing. But my guess is if you already have a smartphone, a crossword reader, and half a brain, you can figure out how to download and play my puzzles your phone. So why make another one? The one I'm leaning toward now is Shortyz, named so in honor of the Puzzlemaster himself. But if there's a better one I don't know about: let me know.

So I'm opening it up to the audience. What apps do you recommend to the other BEQ.com visitors? Leave all suggestions in the comments section please.

Brendan Emmett Quigley has been a professional puzzlemaker since 1996. In fact, he's the sixth-most published constructor in The New York Times under Will Shortz's editorship. Brendan's puzzles have also appeared in every major market including Creators Syndicate, The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Crosswords Club, Dell Champion, Games Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Sun, Tribune Media Services, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.

He regularly contributes work to The AV Crossword Club, Bawdy Crosswords, Spirit Magazine, Visual Thesaurus, and The Weekly Dig. At one point in time, Blender, Electronic Business, Paste Magazine, Quarterly Review of Wines, The Stranger, Time Out New York, and Wired.com ran his work. His puzzles have been mentioned on episodes of "The Colbert Report," "Jeopardy!," and "Sunday Night Football."

He is the author of over thirty different books. In his spare time he can be seen banging on typewriters in the Boston Typewriter Orchestra.
He will be posting two puzzles a week — on Monday and Thursday.
Email Brendan